Kiviak is a traditional Christmas dish from Greenland. I have to say I did not find much info about it. It seems to consists of whole small auks birds which are put in a greasy seal skin and buried in the permafrost, under a flat stone, for seven months, then dug up around Christmas. Then they bite the heads off and squeeze out the tart guts, which are slightly toxic. It does not seem to smell worst than a matured Stilton cheese. Otherwise it tastes like a matured cheese and very pungent.There is nothing disgusting in this dish. Throughout food history, foods have been stored that way. The Romans and Greeks were used to produce a concentrated flavour liqueur called Garum or Liquamen, from fish innards and other parts that would not be used otherwise by salting them and letting this mixture fermenting in the sun for several month until the flesh had fallen apart. Then the liquid was strained.

Nowadays Asian fish sauce such as shottsuru (Japan), Budu (Indonesia) or Nam-plaa (Thailand), are still made in a similar way. Obviously, using more controlled fermentation process.

Frank Krawczyk smoked meat productsBased in Dereenatra, Schull West Cork Frank offers some of the finest smoked meat on the Island. From handmade salamis to pancetta and chorizo. Worth the try.Find him at:- Dereenatra, Schull West Cork- frankk@oceanfree.net- Farmer's markets in Cork and Kerry.

Ballyshiel Milk toffeeTommy Corrigan and his Argentinian wife Karina Gaetani have launched this small milk toffee about 7 years ago, following a traditional Argentinian recipe. For me they make a healthy, natural and very different spreads, dessert sauces or ice-cream flavouring.Find them at:- Kilcrutin business park, Tullamore Co Offaly- ballyshiel@eircom.net- 090 645 4776/ 087 270 1472.

The Organic SupermarketThis is a brand new food store that has just opened about a month ago, on main street Blackrock, Co Dublin. To my knowledge, it is the only shop that offers 100% organic products (and fair trade for most of them!), that is not an health store, in Dublin. Good choice of food and wines and the choice is still widening.Find it at:- The Organic Supermarket, 2c Main Street, Blackrock, Co Dublin, open seven days a week.- 01 2781111.- www.organicsupermarket.ie